Manager - Customer Service

Role Purpose

The Manager – Customer Care is responsible for the leadership, performance, and continuous improvement of customer care operations for the utility company. The role ensures efficient handling of customer inquiries, service requests, complaints, and incidents while delivering consistent, high-quality customer experience across all service channels.

The position oversees customer contact operations, service request management, and coordination with operations, control rooms, and field teams to ensure timely resolution of customer issues in line with service level agreements (SLAs), regulatory requirements, and company standards.

Key Responsibilities

1. Customer Care Operations

• Manage day-to-day customer care operations across all channels, including call center, email, web portals, and digital platforms.
• Ensure effective handling of customer inquiries, service requests, complaints, and outage-related communications.
• Oversee customer request intake, logging, prioritization, and tracking through CRM and customer information systems (CIS).
• Ensure customer care services are delivered in accordance with approved SLAs and performance targets.

2. Service Request & Complaint Management

• Establish and maintain standardized processes for service requests, complaints, and escalations.
• Ensure timely coordination with control rooms, operations, and field teams for resolution of customer issues.
• Oversee management of escalated and sensitive customer cases with potential regulatory or reputational impact.
• Ensure accurate documentation, closure, and customer communication throughout the request lifecycle.

3. Performance Management & Reporting

• Define, monitor, and report on customer care KPIs including response times, resolution times, first-contact resolution, customer satisfaction, and complaint volumes.
• Analyze trends, recurring issues, and root causes to support operational and service improvements.
• Prepare regular performance reports and dashboards for senior management and regulators, as required.
• Drive initiatives to improve efficiency, service quality, and customer satisfaction.

4. People Leadership & Capability

• Lead, coach, and manage customer care supervisors, team leaders, and agents.
• Ensure appropriate staffing, shift coverage, and competency levels to meet service demand.
• Establish training, quality assurance, and performance management frameworks for customer care staff.
• Promote a customer-centric culture, accountability, and continuous improvement mindset.

5. Systems, Processes & Digital Enablement

• Ensure effective use of CRM, CIS, outage management systems, and customer communication tools.
• Support system enhancements, automation, and digital self-service initiatives to improve customer experience.
• Ensure data quality, accurate customer records, and compliance with data protection requirements.
• Coordinate with IT and digital teams on customer care system improvements and upgrades.

6. Stakeholder & Interface Management

• Act as the primary interface between customer care, utilities operations, control rooms, billing, and field services.
• Coordinate customer communications during outages, planned works, and major incidents in alignment with operational teams.
• Support regulatory reporting, audits, and customer service reviews.
• Represent customer care in cross-functional forums, service improvement initiatives, and project handovers.

7. Compliance, Risk & Customer Advocacy

• Ensure compliance with customer service regulations, codes of practice, and contractual obligations.
• Manage customer complaints in line with regulatory requirements and escalation procedures.
• Identify customer-related risks and support mitigation actions.
• Act as the voice of the customer within the organization, advocating for service improvements and customer-focused solutions.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 10–15 years of experience in customer service or contact center operations, preferably within utilities or regulated infrastructure sectors.
• Proven experience managing high-volume customer care or call center operations.
• Strong understanding of utility services, service request workflows, and customer service SLAs.
• Experience working with CRM, CIS, and customer communication systems.
• Demonstrated leadership, stakeholder management, and service improvement capabilities.